commemorative plaque to Luis Daoíz

The commemorative plaque to Luis Daoíz sits on the facade of a house at Calle de la Ternera 6, in Madrid's Malasaña neighborhood, just a short walk from the site of one of the defining episodes in Spanish history.

Who was Luis Daoíz?

Luis Daoíz y Torres was a captain in the Spanish artillery and, alongside fellow officer Pedro Velarde, one of the two men who led the defense of the Monteleón artillery barracks against Napoleonic troops occupying Madrid on 2 May 1808. That uprising, remembered in Spain as the Dos de Mayo, marked the beginning of the popular revolt against the French occupation and, with it, the start of the Peninsular War. Daoíz was mortally wounded during the fighting and died shortly afterward from his injuries. Together with Velarde, he became one of the most enduring symbols of Spanish resistance to Napoleon, and his name is still attached to streets, squares, and monuments across the country.

Why is the plaque located here?

The address matters: according to historical accounts, this was the house where Daoíz lived, and where he was taken and eventually died after being fatally wounded at Monteleón. A first plaque marking the spot was installed on the building's facade back in 1868, recording that Daoíz had lived and died in this house after being mortally wounded while defending Spain's independence during the fighting at the Monteleón park. The plaque visitors see today dates from 2010 and revisits the same story, keeping the memory of the events of May 1808 present for residents and visitors passing through the street.

What should visitors know before stopping by?

The plaque stands in a quiet residential stretch of Malasaña, a neighborhood better known today for its cafés, vintage shops, and nightlife than for historical monuments. Coming across a modest plaque dedicated to one of the heroes of the Dos de Mayo can therefore feel like an unexpected find, especially for visitors who associate Daoíz's name mainly with the monument on Plaza de la Lealtad or with street names in the city center. It is worth keeping in mind that this is a memorial marker rather than a museum stop: there is no exhibition or information point, just an inscription on the facade of a private residential building, so a visit amounts to pausing briefly to read the text.

For anyone tracing the story of the Dos de Mayo uprising, the plaque at Ternera 6 makes a worthwhile addition to a route that also includes the former Monteleón barracks — today the site of the Plaza del Dos de Mayo — and the monument to Daoíz and Velarde in the city center.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Luis Daoíz and why is he remembered? He was an artillery captain who, on 2 May 1808, led the defense of the Monteleón barracks against occupying French forces. He died from the wounds he suffered in that battle, and his stand became a symbol of Spanish resistance to Napoleon.

Why is the plaque at Ternera 6 rather than at Monteleón itself? Historical accounts hold that Daoíz lived and died in this house after being fatally wounded, rather than at the barracks where the fighting took place.

Does the original 19th-century plaque still exist? A first plaque was placed there in 1868. The one visible on the building today dates from 2010 and commemorates the same episode.

Is there a museum or information point at the site? No — it is a private residential building with a commemorative plaque on its facade. Visitors wanting to learn more about the Dos de Mayo uprising can head to the nearby Plaza del Dos de Mayo or the monument to Daoíz and Velarde in central Madrid.